REGULARMEETING

COMMISSIONCHAMBER SEPTEMBER15 2009

AugustaRichmondCountyCommissionconvenedat200pm September15 2009 the Hon DekeCopenhaver Mayor presiding PRESENT Hons Holland Smith Mason Grantham Hatney Beard Johnson Jackson BowlesandBrigham membersofAugustaRichmondCountyCommission TheinvocationwasgivenbytheReverendDr MelvinIvey Pastor GreaterSt John BaptistChurch ThePledgeofAllegiancetotheFlagoftheUnitedStatesofAmericawasrecited Mr Mayor Pastor ifyoucouldcomeforwardIhavesomethingforyou Andthankyou somuchforbeingthereinapinchforuswiththat BythesepresentbeitknownthatRev Dr MelvinIvey Pastor GreaterSt JohnBaptistChurchisChaplainoftheDayforhiscivicand spiritualguidancedemonstratedthroughoutthecommunity Servesasanexampleforallofthe faithcommunity Givenundermyhandthis15th DayofSeptember2009 Thankyouforthose wonderfulwords APPLAUSE MadamClerk ontotheDelegations TheClerk DELEGATIONS A Mr BarryWhite ExecutiveDirector ConventionandVisitorsBureauRE CVB ActivityReport Mr White Thankyou Mr Mayor Andifyoucouldkeepittofiveminutes please sir Mr White Icertainlywill Thankyou Mr Mayor membersoftheCommission I appreciatetheopportunitytobehere CommissionersCalvinHollandandJoeBowlescurrently serveontheBoardofDirectorsfortheConventionandVisitorsBureauandtheyaskedthatI comeandsharealittlebitofinformationthatwesharedatourlastboardmeetingregardingthe TravelandHospitalityIndustryinAugusta SofirstIwanttoshareavideowiththefewpeople whoselivelihooddependonvisitorsinAugusta Videoshown Thosearejustafewofthe morethan5000peoplewhoworkinthetravelandhospitalityindustryinAugusta Youcan findmorevideoswithmoreemployeesonYOUTUBE IfyougoputinVisitAugustayoucan seethosevideos MorevisitorsaregoodforAugusta 2008wasthebestyearthatweeverhad inhoteltaxrevenueandeveninthisdowneconomyandcomparedtoabanneryearwereonly down3 yeartodatecomparedto2008 Andthatsgreatnewsespeciallywhenyouconsider what shappeningtoourcompetition Savannah AthensandMaconareallexperiencing declinesof10 MetroAtlantaareasareseeingdeclinesintheteens Greenville SCis experiencinga20 declineinhotelrevenuecomparedtolastyear Soits only3 down BusinessisgoodinAugustaandwereextremelyfortunate ItsourjobattheCVBtomarket

thecityasadestinationforvisitors Itsalsoourjobtoidentifyopportunitiestoattractmore visitorstospendmoremoneyandultimatelyresultinginmorejobsandmoretaxrevenueforthe city EightyearsagoweattheCVBrecognizedtheneed Wewerelosinglargeconventionsand eventstoourcompetitorsbecausewelackedadequatemeetingfacilities Inoneyearalonewe identifiedeventsthattotaledmorethat 13milliondollarsinanimpactthatweregoingtoother cities Todaywefacethesamechallengesthatwedideight aswedideightyearsago We re stilllosingmillionsofdollarstoourcompetitionandinthepasteightyearsourcompetitionhas grownandstrengthened Dalton MaconandColumbushaveallexpandedtheirconvention centercomplexes AthensisplanningtheirsecondexpansionandColumbiaSCisalready proposinganexpansionafterbeingopenonlyforafewyears Inafeasibilitystudyour customerstoldusthatwehadanopportunity Ifwebuildexhibitspacewehaveanopportunity tohostthosemeetingsthatwecurrentlycannotaccommodate Ourcustomerstoldusinorderto besuccessfultheexhibitspacemustbedowntown mustbeconnectedtohotelroomsand connectedtoourexistingcityownedconferencecenter Ineffecttheysaidexpandyouralready successfulfacility Thisgivesusanopportunitytoattractmorevisitorsthatwillspendmore money andultimatelyresultinmorejobsandmoretaxrevenueforAugusta Thepromiseof moremoneyandmorejobsisnotahollowpromise TheexhibitspacenowknownastheTEE Centerisnotevenopenandyetitisalreadydeliveringonthesepromises AsaresultoftheTEE CenterAugustaisalreadyplanningextensiverevitalizationinsomeofourhistoric neighborhoods Therevitalizationwillcreatejobsresultinginmoremoneyforoureconomyand ourcommunity AtthesametimeasaresultoftheTEECenterAugustahasattractednew outsideinvestmentsinourdowntownwiththeadditionofaproposedhotelagaingenerating morejobsandmoretaxrevenueforAugusta Thepromisesarereal TheTeeCenterisgoodfor Augusta TheTeeCenterhasbeenendorsedbythecityastheleadingeconomicdevelopment agencies TheAugustaChamberofCommerce theDevelopmentAuthorityofRichmond County AugustaTomorrow theDowntownDevelopmentAuthorityandtheGreaterAugusta SportsCouncil Theprojectalsoreceivedendorsementfromthisbody initiallyandmost notablyin2004whentheCommissionincludeditintheSPLOSTVprojectlist alistultimately supportedbythevotersinourresidence TheTEECenterisgoodbusiness Onaverage5000 peoplespendthenightinourhotelsandthats5000peoplespendingmoneyeverydayandevery nightinAugusta Andeventhoughthesearethepeoplewhosejobsdirectlydependonvisitors toourcitytheyarenttheonlyoneswhobenefit Withmorevisitorstoourcityeveryresident winsandmorevisitorsisgoodforAugusta Mr Mayor Okay thankyou sir Ilikedthatvideo too Dowehaveanyquestionsor comments CommissionerHolland Mr Holland Thankyou Mr Mayor IdjustliketocommendBarryandhisstafffor thejobthattheyredoingdownattheConventionandVisitorsBureaualongwithPhilwhoisthe Chairman AndofcoursewewouldhopethatsomeoftheotherprojectshereinAugustawould comebeforeusandsharesomeinformationwithusratherthansittingoutletterstous Because wefeelifyoucomebeforeusinpersonandshareinformationwithusandcommunicatewithus betterandgiveusanopportunitytoaskquestionsinreferencetowhatyou redoing Sowe shouldcommendyouforwhatyouredoingandwethankyouforwhatyoushowedtodaywas verygood Howeverwerejustgoingtocontinuetoworkwithyouanddothebestwecanfor Augusta Thankyouverymuch

Mr Mayor Thankyou CommissionerHolland Ms Beard Ms Beard Barry ImwonderingifyouhavebeenincontactatallwithDr Sandersat theUniversityofTexas Mr White inaudible Ms Beard Hedida youhave Mr White Imveryfamiliarwithhisreport Ms Beard Okay Well youknow itismyopinionthatmaybeheneedstocomeinand sharewhathefeelsinreferencetoconventioncentersallovertheUnitedStatesbecausejustlike allofthecentersinthisareathatishappeningallover Andtherearethosewhofeelthatthese fundscouldbeusedbetterdoingotherthingslikeinnercityprojectsandwhathaveyou Iam Fredwhatwouldweneedtodoinordertobringthispersoninsothatwecouldgetanother perspectiveinreferencetoconventioncenters Mr Russell Ifitsthewillofthebodywedbemorethanhappytomakearrangements forhimtovisitwithus Ijustneedthedirectionfromthegrouptodothat Ms Beard Whatdoyouthink Mr Holland Mr Mayor Idonthaveaproblemwiththat Mr Mayor CommissionerHolland Mr Holland Ithinkanydirectionwegetinreferencetoanythingthatweretryingtodo inourcityandwecangetinformationthatsgoingtohelpusalong Ithinkweshouldhear fromanyonethatcancomeandshareinformationwithus SoIdonthaveaproblemwithit soIllvoteforit Mr Mayor Okay TheClerk Isthatamotion Mr Mayor Isthatamotion Mr Holland That samotion Mr Mayor Wehaveamotionandasecond CommissionerBowles Mr Bowles Dowehaveacostandasourceoffundingforthistrip Mr Mayor IwasjustgoingtosayIthink

Mr Russell Idontknowwhatthecostwouldbebutthesourceoffundingwouldbethe moneysetasidefortheTEECenteratthemoment Mr Bowles Werealreadyshortoffundssoweregoingtopaysomebodytocomeand tellusthattheydontlikeTEECenters Soweregoingtospendmoremoneyandhaveless fundstobuildtheTEECenter Mr Mayor ButjustforclarityandmaybeforcostsavingsifwecoulddirectMr Russell togetincontactwiththegentlemanandperhapsitwouldn tbeyouknowdifficulttodoa conferencecallasopposedto isthatokaywitheverybody Mr Grantham Mr Grantham Thankyou Mr Mayor Ithinkwe youknowwererunningaroundthe sourcethatwecurrentlyhaveandsidesteppingBarrywithinformationthathesalreadycollected forusandbroughttousbasedontheconvention exhibitspaceandwhatsavailableaswellas peoplethat wanttocontracttocometoAugusta Imnotopposedtogettingsomeoneelseto comeintotellmewhat shappeningtotheexhibitspacebutIjustthinkthatyouknowwere delayingtheinevitablewhenwedothis Barry salreadydonealotofresearchinthisregards Mr White Mr Mayor Mr Mayor Mr White Mr White Mr SandersdidareportfromtheBrookingsInstituteinWashingtonDC Ithinkitwasavailablein2004andthatswhathesbasinghiscommentson Iwould recommendattheveryleastthatthisbodyreceiveacopyofthatreport Mr Mayor Haseverybodyread Mr Russell Mr Russell AndifyoudlikeIdbemorethanhappytogetacostforhimtovisitwith usandseewhathewouldchargeforthat AndthenIwouldbemorethanhappytoseeifthats costprohibitivetoarrangeforhimtomaybedoanaudioconversationwithusoravideo conversationifatallpossible Iwilllookforthecheapestwaytogetthebestinformationif thatsthedirectionIreceive Mr Mayor CommissionerJohnson Mr Johnson Thankyou Mr Mayor Ithinkwhatweneedtodoprimarilyislookat maybelookingatitfromadifferentperspective Ithinktheproposeddesignthatwehavenow inplaceis40000feetofexhibitspace right Butwedonthaveanyseatingcapacitywithinthat space Andwhatweneedtodoislookatotheroptionsoralternativestoencompassthatand whatweneedtodotobuildthisparticularconventioncenterbutprimarilyatacostthatwecan afford Wealreadyexceededthe 20milliondollars Nowyouretalking 18millionmore So maybeitwouldbegoodtomaybegetjustadifferentopinionoradifferentperspectiveonwhat wouldworkforthisparticularcitybasedonthosethathavedoneofcourseresearchanddesigns inthepast Andthatsthething thatsthetargetIwouldliketolookatmaybetryingtoobtain

tomaybeseewhatcanworkandwhatwillworkbecauseinthelongrunIthinkitcanbehelpful butprimarilyagainIrealizesomethingsinregardstoinnercityredevelopmentandpeople talkingabouttaxesthere Butifyouredevelopinnercitythetaxeswillgoup Youwillstartto collectmoretaxesbecauseitwillbecomeaviableneighborhood Wellnowitcantbeviable becauseitssomewhatblighted SoIthinkitsgoingtobeawin winsituationifyoulookatit andmakesureyoucrossallyourTsanddotallyourIswiththisproject Butthatsthething thatwewanttomakethathappens SoImallforgettingadifferentperspectivetolookatwhat willworkandwhatsmorelikelytoworkhereAugustaGeorgia Mr Mayor Okay wehaveamotionandasecond Justtogetclearonthisjust is CommissionerHolland toamendyourmotion wouldyouamendyourmotiontodirectMr RusselltocontactthisindividualatthesamedisseminatingtheBrookingsInstitutereporttothe Commissionsothatwecangetacostonthis Mr Holland Isoamendit Mr Mayor Mr Mayor Okay Wehaveamotionandasecond Iftheresnofurtherdiscussion Commissionerswillnowvotebytheusualsign Mr BrighamvotesNo Motioncarries91 Mr Mayor Thankyou Mr White Andletmejustreiterate Imsogladthatyou broughtforward Imentionedinanearliermeetingusinggooddata Thewaywestackup comparedtoothermarketsatthispointintimeisextremelystrong Imgladthatyoubrought thatout Thanks Mr White Mypleasure Thankyou Mr Mayor MadamClerk ontotheconsentagenda TheClerk Yes sir Mr Mayor Ourconsentagendaconsistsofitems139 items1 39 ForthebenefitofanyobjectorstoanyofourPlanningpetition whenthosepetitionsareread wouldyoupleasesignifyyourobjectionsbyraisingyourhand Item2 IsarequestforaSpecialExceptiontoestablishaFamilyPersonalCareHomeon propertylocatedat2237WinstonWay Item3 IsarequestforaSpecialExceptiontoestablishaFamilyPersonalCareHomeon propertylocatedat1718WeedStreet Item4 WithconditionsisarequestforaSpecialExceptiontoestablishaCongregatePersonal CareHomeinaP 1 Professional Zoneonpropertyknowas1509BrownRoad Item5 IsforwithconditionsapetitionforachangeofzoningfromaZoner1A One family Residential toazoneR 1C OnefamilyResidential affectingpropertyat3043DennisRoad TheClerk ArethereanyobjectorstoanyofthosePlanningpetitions